A former tobacco industry executive has been appointed to senior leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alarming public health advocates and critics of industry influence on government.
Stephen Sayle, named in March as the CDC’s deputy director for legislative affairs, previously worked at Fontem Ventures, a subsidiary of the British multinational tobacco corporation Imperial Brands. Between 2017 and 2018, he was U.S. vice president of corporate affairs at Fontem, which is focused on non-combustible tobacco products like the e-cigarette brand blu and the oral nicotine pouch brand Zone.
This appointment raises significant concerns regarding the potential for tobacco industry perspectives to infiltrate public health policy. As the CDC plays a pivotal role in shaping health guidelines and regulations, the presence of an individual with direct ties to the tobacco sector could undermine efforts to combat smoking and its associated health risks, further complicating the agency’s mission to protect public health.
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